Machine for tentering and drying fabrics.



No. 764,254. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904..

M. RATIGNIER & M. CLERG-RBNAUD. MACHINE FOR TBNTE'RING AND DRYING FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR TENTERING AND DRYING FABRICS- SPEGIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,254, dated July 5, 1904:.

Application filed eptemher 15, 1903. Serial No- 173,328- (No model.)

To all whmwit may concern: Be it known that we, MARIUS RATIGNIEE and MARIUS CLERo RENAUD, citizens of France, residing at 61 and 63 Rue Louis Blane,

Lyons, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Tentering and Drying Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the device forming the subject-matter of the invention described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to us on May 5, 1903, No. 727,443.

The present invention has for its object certain arrangements which insure the regular working of tentering and drying machines, in which the tentering is obtained by drawing the fabric forward by parallel chains undulated in a horizontal plane, such as described in the patent above mentioned. These arrangements, which relate to the good management of the fabric, are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, which represent diagrammatically the progress of the fabric.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Figs. 2 and 3 plans, of the apparatus.

The tentering apparatus consists of two parallel chains, as described in the patent above mentioned, on which the two edges cc of the fabric are lixed by nippers. These chains are guided by rollers 66 I) b and follow an undulated course without ceasing to be parallel. .It therefore results that the weft-threads c 0, Fig. 2, preserve the same length in the straight part and in the sinuous part of their travel on condition nevertheless that they remain perpendicular to the main axis of the machine. This condition can- Certain fabrics are presented to tentering with very irregular wefts, and it will be understood that. if the weft is presented obliquely, as at c c, in the sinuous part of the course it might undergo lengthenings sufiiciently great to bring about breakage. To prevent this inconvenience, we arrange the set of pulleys Z2 6 on one side of the fabric movable in the longitudinal direction. These pulleys are for this purpose carried by a slide (Z, which can be putin motion in either direction by means of a hand-wheel c acting on a rack, a screw, or other suitable mechanism. An attendant placed near this handwheel watches the passage of the fabric and during its progress moves in one direction or the other the set of pulleys I) .7), according to the obliquity of the weft. Fig. 3) has the effect of preserving as much as possible the same length to the oblique weft-threads c While they trasverse the sinuous parts of the course, and consequently prevents tearing of the fabric.

The tension of the weft-threads which permits of obtaining the best tentering without risk of tearing the fabric requires, to obtain it, that their lengthbe varied at each instant.

This motion (see On the contrary, the definitive width obtained 5 of the fabric during drying should generally be constant. To enable these two conditions to be realized, we give the set of pulleys Z) 5 a second motion in the transverse direction of the fabric. screw Z; or other suitable means and is eliected at a convenient moment by the same attendant who controls the longitudinal motion.

While the fabric is traversing the sinuosi- This motion is obtained by a 7 ties producing the tentering its different elements retain risks of tearing, which are maximum when the weft and warp threads form the greatest angle with each other. WVe diminish these risks of tearing by slightly reducing the length of the weft-threads at the During the undulated progress of the fab- 9 ric the central part of the latter follows the same sinuosities as the selvages gripped in the chains consequent on the pull of the weftthreads. This pull is converted into a tension It re- 5 of these threads, which is maximum at one of their ends, which decreases according to their length and which is greater in proportion as the fabric itself is more stretched in the direction of its length.

In order to reduce as much as possible this I increase of tension of the weft-threads, which might be dangerous'during the tentering, it is also necessary, therefore, to reduce as much as possible the tension of the fabric in the direction of its length during tentering. On the other hand, during the drying the fabric generally requires to' be stretched in every direction. The longitudinal tension of the fabric during the tentering is with this object maintained sufliciently low; but as this same fabric should be more highly stretched during the drying we place before the drying-drum f, or before drying apparatus of any form which follows the tentering, rollers, such as [L h 0' T, which serve for this purpose.

We would remark that the details employed in carrying our invention into efiiect may be Varied without departing from the peculiar character thereof. Y

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tentering and drying machine, tentering-chains for conducting the fabric, two sets of pulleys producing an undulating progress of the chains, the pulleys of each set which are placed in the interior of the tentering-chains, having a smaller diameter than the pulleys placed on the exterior thereof, in order to reduce the length of the weft while the warp-threads are the most inclined.

2. In a tentering and drying machine the combination with tentering-chains, of two sets of pulleys to produce an undulating progress of the tentering-chains, and means for moving by hand one of the sets in both a longitudinal and transverse direction.

3. In a tentering and drying machine the combination with tentering-chains,of two sets of pulleys one set of which is regulable transversely and longitudinally, and rollers holding the fabric after the tentering, said rollers having their axes at right angles to the axes of the pulleys.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARIUS RATIGNIER. M ARIUS GLERC-R-ENAUD.

Witnesses:

GAs'roN JEAUNIAux, MARIN VAOHON. 

